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BookReview The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman @ZaffreBooks

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Book Cover The Witches of Vardo by Anya BergmanAbout The Witches of Vardø

Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. When Zigri, desperate and grieving after the loss of her husband and son, embarks on an affair with the local merchant, it’s not long before she is sent to the fortress at Vardø, to be tried and condemned as a witch.

Zigri’s daughter Ingeborg sets off into the wilderness to try to bring her mother back home. Accompanying her on this quest is Maren – herself the daughter of a witch ­- whose wild nature and unconquerable spirit gives Ingeborg the courage to venture into the unknown, and to risk all she has to save her family.

Also captive in the fortress is Anna Rhodius, once the King of Denmark’s mistress, who has been sent to Vardø in disgrace. What will she do – and who will she betray – to return to her privileged life at court?

These Witches of Vardø are stronger than even the King of Denmark. In an age weighted against them they refuse to be victims. They will have their justice. All they need do is show their power.

Format: eARC (400 pages)               Publisher: Zaffre
Publication date: 5th January 2023  Genre: Historical Fiction

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My Review

The setting of The Witches of Vardø, an isolated fishing community in a remote part of Norway in the latter half of the seventeenth century along with its subject matter, reminded me strongly of The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave which I read in 2021. And those who have read, as I have, books such as The Manningtree Witches by A. K. Blakemore or Widdershins by Helen Steadman will be familiar with accusations of witchcraft being levelled against women, especially those considered “different”, for instance women skilled in healing. Also how fear of association can turn a community against those accused, how natural events can be interpreted as portents of evil or how unconventional behaviour can be viewed as a sign of possession by the Devil.

In The Witches of Vardø we follow the story of Zigri’s arrest, imprisonment in the fortress at Vardø, and trial for witchcraft through the eyes of her eldest daughter, Ingeborg.  Ingeborg is determined to rescue her mother and sets out to do so, placing herself and her younger sister in danger. She is accompanied by Maren, the daughter of a woman executed for witchcraft, who urges Ingeborg to trust in the power of women to resist the actions of men and seems able to harness the forces of nature in ways which introduce a supernatural element to the story.

Alongside this is the first person narrative of Anna Rhodius, former mistress of the King of Denmark, who has been banished to  Vardø for reasons she does not understand, much like the unnamed queen in J. R. Thorp’s Learwife. She becomes convinced the way to restore her liberty is to assist the Governor of Finnmark in his mission to search out witches, viewed as a ‘blight’ on the kingdom of Denmark and held responsible for happenings such as storms, the loss of ships and the spread of disease. ‘Yes, yes, now I understand your intent because my exile was a ruse, a pretence, was it not? I am not prisoner but a soldier under your command.’ It results in her entering into an agreement with the Governor that is akin to ‘a pact with the Devil’. The dreadful consequences of the bargain she has made only become apparent much later, although as her own sad history is revealed we learn a little more about her motivation.

The chief male characters – Governor Christopher Orning and witch-hunter Bailiff Lockhert – are utterly vile. (A welcome contrast is provided by Zare, a young Sámi man, who plays a key role in Ingeborg’s endeavours, the Sámi themselves being a persecuted community.) Fuelled by a combination of lust for power, religious fanaticism and perverted misogyny, the cruelty and violence of Orning’s and Lockhert’s efforts to force the women accused of witchcraft to confess would be beyond belief were it not that they are based on historical fact, as the author explains in her fascinating afterword.  There’s also a useful glossary to help with some of the Norwegian and Sámi words used in the book.

The Witches of Vardø is a chilling story of prejudice, cruelty and ignorance with a great sense of time and place.

I received an advance review copy courtesy of Zaffre via NetGalley.

In three words: Atmospheric, unsettling, assured

Try something similar: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Anya BergmanAbout the Author

Anya Bergman became interested in the witch trials of Vardø and the vivid folk tales of the north while living in Norway. Travelling to the Steilneset memorial, in which Louise Bourgeois and Peter Zumthor commemorated those persecuted as witches, she became fascinated by their stories. Now resident in Ireland, she is currently undertaking a PhD by Published Works at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland where she also lectures as well as tutoring for Jericho Writers. She is working on her next novel, which unites the fates of two very different women against the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution. (Photo: Twitter profile/Bio: Author website)

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#BookReview #Ad Resurrection by David Gilman @AriesFiction

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ResurrectionAbout the Book

Somewhere in the Sahara, on the desolate border between Sudan and Chad, a P51 Mustang with long-range drop tanks slowly emerges from the dunes. Inside, the skeletalized remains of a man missing for three decades. His flying jacket bears no insignia, a worn leather attache case lies by his side, held securely by a manacle around his left wrist.

Inside a document men will kill for. Die for. The sands of time have shifted, and whoever finds that aircraft finds information that could expose the most valuable spy the UK intelligence service has ever known. The British, the French, and the Russians are on the trail. And so is Raglan.

Format: eARC (402 pages)              Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: 5th January 2023 Genre: Thriller

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My Review

If you’re seeking a book that puts the ‘thrill’ into ‘thrilling’ then look no further than Resurrection, the third in the series featuring ex-French Foreign Legionnaire Dan Raglan. (Click on the titles to read my reviews of the previous books in the series – The Englishman and Betrayal.)

The striking prologue and the first section of the story which follows is set in a part of Africa, the border between Sudan and Chad, whose turbulent history I knew very little about. And I knew even less about Russian involvement in the area including the activities of the Wagner Group, a private military contractor with close links to the Kremlin, who, as the BBC recently reported, are now active in Ukraine. It’s one of the many things about the book that makes it feel so bang up-to-date.

At the same time as Raglan is engaged on his dangerous recovery mission in the desert – one which has a link to his own past – the hunt is on for a double agent at the heart of a nation’s intelligence service. We could be in John lé Carre territory except that the nation in question is Russia. A fanatical patriotism means the character leading the clandestine search will stop at nothing to unmask the traitor.

The book’s short chapters, that often end with a killer last sentence, keep you turning the pages and the level of technical detail is superb. Having read the book I’m now confident (well, almost) that I could fly a monoplane, ascertain the right dose of antivenom serum to administer, survive alone in the desert for several days, escape drowning in an icy river and assess the relative merits of using 7.62mm or 5.56mm rounds in a Special Operations Combat Assault rifle.

A number of characters return from previous books, including Raglan’s friend and former comrade, Serge ‘Bird’ Sokol, and my potential rival for Raglan’s affections, Colonel Elena Sorokina of Moscow CID. At one point she observes, ‘You cause me much trouble, Englishman. I ask myself why I let you. The answer is not clear to me.’ Well, it’s as clear as day to me.

Ruthless villains, fascinating locations, fist fights and fire fights, car chases, intrigue and a mystery from the past. Oh, and a seemingly indestructible hero. What’s not to like?

Resurrection is another absolutely gripping, action-packed page turner that takes you from the unforgiving Sahara desert to the dangerous ‘Shanghai slums’ area of Moscow, all at whirlwind pace.

I received an advance review copy courtesy of Head of Zeus via NetGalley.

In three words: Pacy, compelling, intriguing

Try something similar: No Way To Die by Tony Kent

David GilmanAbout the Author

David Gilman has enjoyed many careers, including paratrooper, firefighter, and photographer. An award-winning author and screenwriter, he is the author of the critically acclaimed Master of War series of historical novels, and was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for The Last Horseman. He was longlisted for the same prize for The Englishman, the first book featuring ex-French Foreign Legionnaire Dan Raglan.  David lives in Devon. (Photo: Twitter profile)

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